home > Tools > What to plant on the balcony in spring. What plants can be grown on the balcony all year round? Heather - a beautiful balcony in winter

What to plant on the balcony in spring. What plants can be grown on the balcony all year round? Heather - a beautiful balcony in winter

It's no secret that store-bought vegetables and fruits in most cases are treated with wax and other substances undesirable for the body. Plus, delivering products from abroad means unnecessary emissions of harmful gases. There is an exit! Grow fruits, vegetables and herbs on your balcony.

Grade

On the balcony there are almost all the necessary (at least) food for the table. And we will tell you how to do it correctly and productively.

What to plant on the north side and what on the south?

On the sunny south side, you can plant plant seeds in the ground at the end of April. On the western and eastern sides, the planting process occurs a little later - from mid to late May. It is good to grow strawberries and even blueberry bushes on southern balconies.

And if on the north side, then vegetables are planted at the end of June in seedlings: tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplants, sweet and bitter peppers, carrots.

How to grow carrots on the balcony

Indoor carrot varieties are planted in late April or May and often the finished crop can be harvested in late July or early August.

Carrots on the balcony will need a bright place. To do this, you need to fill the container ¾ full with soil. Pots for planting carrots must be at least 13 cm in diameter, with a minimum depth of 12 cm.

Sow the seeds in the soil and sprinkle them with a layer of soil no more than 1 cm. For rapid seed germination, light watering is necessary so that the soil is constantly moist, but not wet.

When the plants sprout and reach a height of about 2.5 cm, they can be thinned out or transplanted into other containers and do not forget to water them periodically.

How to grow radishes on the balcony

Radishes can be grown in the same way as carrots. Will do well in sun and partial shade.

Important! Too much sun can cause leaves to overgrow at the expense of the root system. Therefore, it is better to plant radishes with larger plants so that they create a little shade. The container for growing radishes should not be too shallow, at least 10 cm deep.

The following varieties are best suited for growing in containers:

"Heat"
"Quart"
"French Breakfast"
"18 days."

When sowing seeds, you should leave enough space for the formation of tasty root vegetables. The optimal distance is about 5-10 cm. Seeds are sown directly into containers; there is no need to replant.

Most types of radishes grow quite quickly. Therefore, you can repeat the sowings after harvesting.

It is necessary every 2-3 days, more often in warm weather, so that the radish turns out soft and juicy. When the radishes begin to form roots, you can remove a few lower leaves at a time to allow the plant to form a root crop.

How to grow tomatoes on the balcony

- the most unpretentious plants from balcony vegetable crops, quite productive and decorative. For growing on a loggia, it is better to take low-growing, dwarf varieties.

Tall tomatoes have a very powerful root system; it will require a lot of soil to develop.

Low growing varieties:

Minibel variety - small round red fruits, fruiting period 15-17 days;
the Angelica variety is an early ripening variety, the fruits are red, egg-shaped with a spout;
the Zhemchuzhina variety is absolutely unpretentious, tolerates heat, lack of moisture and nutrients, and has crimson-colored fruits;

Cherry:

, the fruits are accordingly also red;
variety Yellow Cherry;
variety Black Cherry, purple-brown fruits;
variety Pink Cherry

You can sow seeds from February to April. If you sow in February, the harvest can be harvested at the end of June. Plants sown in April will bear fruit in September.

Before sowing, the seeds are soaked overnight in warm water (approximately 50 degrees), it is convenient to use a thermos. The land can be used from parks, vegetable gardens, or purchased ready-made.

How to grow tomatoes at home? Sowing containers are filled with soil, then grooves one centimeter deep are made in them. The furrows are watered and seeds are sown in them. In a few days, seedlings will appear that need a lot of light. You also need to ensure that the seedlings do not dry out.

When the second leaf appears on the seedlings, the plants dive. The seedlings are carefully removed from the soil and placed one at a time in a plastic container with soil. Cut-off plastic bottles or sour cream cups work well. water and leave in the shade for one day.

Water the seedlings 1-2 times a day. You need to make sure that it doesn’t dry out, but you also don’t need to over-moisturize it. After 10 days, the first feeding is done. You can buy it in a specialized store. Before planting the plants in the pot, you will need to feed them twice more.

When the seedlings reach the age of 30 days, they are transplanted into a permanent deep pot. One plant of low-growing varieties requires 1.5 liters of soil. A pre-watered plant is carefully moved into a pot or box or container.

It involves watering and loosening. It is necessary to remove diseased leaves and excess stepsons (a total of two stepsons are left above the flower brush).

How to grow cucumbers on the balcony

There are special varieties of cucumbers bred for growing on the loggia:

Turquoise
Moscow greenhouse
Stresa

Varieties also suitable:

Nezhensky
early Altai
Elegant
Rytovsky.

The ideal soil for growing cucumbers should contain peat, manure humus, small sawdust, and turf soil. All components are taken in equal quantities.

Then to a bucket of this mixture you need to add a tablespoon of nitrophoska, a glass of wood soil, a teaspoon of urea. Or you can buy a ready-made mixture.

Cucumber seedlings are grown in a similar way to tomato seedlings. After 3-4 leaves appear, the seedlings are ready.

Ready seedlings are planted in containers, boxes, and pots. One plant needs about five liters of soil. Otherwise, during the fruiting period the soil will dry out greatly.

On the 4-5th leaf it is necessary to tear off the growth bud. It is better to water cucumbers in the evening and in the morning. The water should be at room temperature. It should be remembered that cucumbers do not like drafts.

How to grow greens on the balcony

You can grow not only vegetables on balconies, but... She feels no worse there than in the field beds.

For example, on the balcony you can grow onions. In addition, it is one of the most unpretentious plants. Small bulbs or seeds are used for planting. The following varieties have proven themselves well for growing on the balcony: Strigunovsky, Danilovsky.

You can grow onions in water. For this they use jars. The bulbs are placed in water so that their root system comes into contact with the water.

But it is still more convenient to grow onions in the ground. The bulbs are planted almost closely. For the first ten days, the onion can be kept cool and semi-dark, and then it will need good lighting.

The process of forcing green onions will take 20-30 days. To ensure an uninterrupted supply of onions, it is worth using four containers. Plant 40-50 bulbs every week. To obtain green onions, shallots are also grown, the yield of which is several times higher than that of onions.

Also, on the balcony you can grow parsley. It is better to use the following varieties:

Curly
Sugar
Harvest
Prima

These varieties are early ripening and produce . Parsley seeds begin to be sown on balconies in early April.

In order to grow parsley on the balcony, shallow boxes (18-20 cm) are filled with soil and spilled with hot water. Then grooves are made. The depth of the grooves is 1 centimeter, and the distance between them is 10-12 centimeters. Then you need to water the grooves again with warm water. The seeds can be soaked in water for a day, or you can sow them dry.

Parsley crops are watered every other day. After emergence, watering is carried out every day.

Dill- also an unpretentious culture that can be grown. For the growth and development of dill, a temperature of 17 degrees is sufficient. Of the balcony varieties, it should be noted:

Grabovsky
Kaskelensky
Uzbek-243

Planting and watering are similar to planting parsley.

On the balcony you can also . The following varieties are especially suitable:

Odessa (leaf edges corrugated, curly)
Mustard leaf
Moscow leaf
May
cabbage
watercress

Lettuce is demanding on moisture. Therefore, it is better to use square boxes or special containers with automatic watering.

Furrows 1 centimeter deep are made in the soil. The distance between them is 12 centimeters. Seeds are sown sparsely. Until seedlings emerge, the box should be kept in the shade. Caring for lettuce involves watering. The harvest can be harvested 3 weeks after sowing.

How to care for a vegetable garden on the balcony

Soil selection

Ordinary soil for plants on the balcony will not work. Here you need to select a special soil with humus so that the plants take root better. But since each plant needs a certain soil, it is best to purchase a special ready-made mixture in the store.

Plant care

Before you start growing, be sure to consider the capabilities of your balcony. As the plants begin to grow, remember that they will become larger and taller. Therefore, do not plant them too compactly, then it will be possible later. And be sure to tie fragile stems to a support.

Lighting

As for lighting, this is easier in the summer. There is enough natural sunlight. And in the fall you need to add artificial lighting. To do this, you can use regular fluorescent lamps that can be placed close to your plants. Then, even in winter, when it gets dark quickly, they will have sufficient lighting.

Shading

In summer, plants need shade, so you need to shade tomatoes and radishes with paper or a white sheet. And naturally, additional moisture is also needed, as a spray, both for plants and stems. When it gets cold, it is advisable to move the plants into rooms and cover them with a special film.

Watering and irrigation

Watering and irrigation is one of the keys to the success of getting a good harvest on the balcony. To keep water constantly irrigating your plants while you are away, you can install a simple drip irrigation system. For this they use . Holes are made in the lids so that water only leaks out slightly, and they are turned over into containers with plants.

Have you thought about decorating your balcony or loggia? Flowers are the best solution! Under the guidance of some rules and your own imagination, you can create a unique flower corner in your home.

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Features and benefits of design

In order for the flower balcony to turn out exactly the way you intended it, you need to take into account several nuances: microclimate, neighborhood, etc. When planting your favorite flowers on the balcony, do not forget about their characteristics, because each plant requires different conditions for growth. Some people love the bright sun, while others don’t mind living in the shade. The same goes for temperature and humidity.

It is also worth inquiring before planting which plants can live peacefully with “neighbors” and which prefer to grow alone. A striking example of a “sole farmer” is the handsome dahlia. But modest marigolds, on the contrary, are distinguished by their special friendliness, and they are also excellent defenders of the garden from a variety of pests.

What to plant

All plants that have ever been planted on balconies can be divided into three types:

Annuals;
Perennials;
Biennials.

From the names it is clear how each type differs. The variety of colors has virtually no boundaries. The choice is huge, so you can plant any flowers you like on your loggia or balcony. However, there are several nuances that should be taken into account when planting a particular plant. If you wish, you can build a mini garden, with the help of which the landscaping of the loggia will go off with a bang. In addition, you can get a good harvest in the form of greens and some vegetables.

Sunny side

There are a lot of plants that love sun and warmth. Therefore, for an open balcony on the sunny side, the choice is huge. This includes fast-growing annual flowers, for which the east side is an ideal location in summer.

Avid gardeners recommend planting climbing plants, such as morning glory, on the sunny side. The main thing is to secure the boxes correctly so that the flowers weave around the desired area. But gardeners give first place to the beautiful petunia, whose color range is so huge that everyone will find a flower to their liking. It is quite easy to care for, and its lush flowering lasts a very long time.

Unpretentious marigolds are no less popular. They, like petunias, are very diverse: they differ in height, shades and density of the flower. The rose takes root very well on the balcony. However, it requires proper planting and care. If you follow all the rules, you can enjoy your own grown roses, which are a hundred times more beautiful than store-bought ones.

On a sunny balcony it is better to plant low-growing plants such as calendula, nasturtium, some types of asters, zinnias and dahlias. Bright clematis looks very attractive.

You can combine business with pleasure and plant herbs on the balcony: oregano, balsam, thyme, mint, etc. If you have a closed balcony, then seedlings will settle on it for a while, no worse than any flower.

Shadow side

A balcony in the shade is not a reason to give up a flower garden. Many flowers love shade and partial shade, so the north side can be decorated as well as any other. In addition, in such conditions you can plant indoor plants on the balcony: most bulbous plants and large plants such as Monstera, Myrtle, Ficus and ferns.

Many people think that shade-tolerant plants do not have lush flowers, but this is not true. A very bright shade-loving representative is Begonia. It blooms for 5 months; loves fertile and moist soil. The ampelous types of this flower are especially good. Since they do not tolerate heat and perfectly decorate shady areas. An equally bright representative of the shadow is Fuchsia.

Also, do not forget about annuals that are unpretentious: nasturtium, petunia, marigolds, calendula and forget-me-nots. And if you are a lover of bright aromas, then you definitely need to plant cloves, verbena, alyssum or gillyflower in improvised beds on the western side.

Winter Garden

A winter garden is the dream of many women. If you wish, you can create your own green corner on a closed balcony. Having even a small loggia area, you can place a large number of different plants, the main thing is to choose the right species and create all the necessary conditions.

A loggia or an insulated terrace is ideal for a winter garden. If you plan to grow fairly heat-loving plants, then the space must be equipped with additional lighting and heating devices. In this case, the choice of the type of plants grown will be huge.

How to put it beautifully

It’s not enough to choose beautiful plants; you also need to choose a beautiful container in which to plant the plants. Using boxes and pots you can decorate the facade in an interesting way. Bright pots and containers in art style are a decoration that will not fade against the backdrop of flowering plants.

How, where and what to place must be decided in advance so that in the end you get not just a bunch of flower pots, but a beautiful blooming composition. Long before planting, draw a plan for the future garden on a large sheet of paper. Choose a corner for each plant where it will feel comfortable. It is important that the plants do not interfere with each other:

The vines will be comfortable against one of the walls;
Summer plants in small boxes can be beautifully placed against a background of vines;
Large plants in round boxes can be safely placed in all corners;
Cannas, zinnias, dahlias and gladioli can be distributed along the entire length of the balcony.

There are many interesting options for placing flowers on your covered balcony. You can write about each of them separately.

Shelves

A very compact and simple way to place a maximum of pots and flower boxes on the balcony. Shelves can be made of any size, and they can be placed at different levels away from each other. It is more convenient to place large plants at the bottom, and it is best to place pots with hanging flowers at the top.

What container should I use? I love it. For shelves, it is better to choose oblong drawers or small flower pots. You can make the boxes yourself, taking into account the size of the shelves. If desired and possible, you can make real shelving along all free walls. In this case, there will be plenty of space for plants.

Canvas “with pockets”

A very interesting option for placing flowers on the balcony. It is best suited for open spaces, because it looks original and attracts attention. To build this structure with your own hands, you need to purchase a dense fabric commensurate with the balcony wall and sew pockets made of the same dense material onto it at different distances from each other. After that, the canvas is securely fixed to the wall, and pots or bags of flowers are inserted into the pockets.

Trellis

Trellis usually consist of a strong mesh or numerous intertwined cords perpendicular to each other. This option is ideal for climbing plants such as morning glory, thunbergia, maurandia, etc.

Stands

An option suitable for both simple and curly flowers. In specialized stores you can purchase stands that have several tiers and additional guide supports for loaches.

Modules

This design most likely resembles a regular cabinet, which has many open drawers. Despite its massive size, it is very convenient to use, as it allows you to place a maximum of plants. To prevent the cabinet from looking like a rough and inappropriate design, it can be decorated or disguised.

A few tips regarding placing and growing balcony plants:

Choose boxes and pots of medium size: in small containers the soil dries out quickly, and the flowers quickly become uncomfortable; large pots take up too much space and mold often grows in them due to waterlogging.
Balcony boxes with holders are very ergonomic to use, since they can be mounted not only on the wall, but also under the balcony “pocket,” which will significantly save space. To make reliable hanging boxes you will need a bracket and the “right” hands.
You can grow flowers on your balcony in summer in a variety of ways. But there are no less accommodation options. Numerous shelves and racks that are easy to make with your own hands are very practical to use.
Do you want to create a bright balcony that is unlike anything else? Then you need to decorate your balcony. This can be done not only with flowers, but also with containers for them. Make diverse shelves or purchase multi-tiered stands and plant in them a mixture of the brightest ampelous plants that get along with each other and have lush “hair”.
Want to make drawers and shelves yourself? Then do not forget about their safety. Before you start using them, cover every centimeter with a protective layer of special impregnation or regular paint.
To paint shelves and drawers, choose a paint shade that is much lighter than the color of the flowers, or something neutral. The ideal option is all shades of green. Using a similar trick, drawers can be easily hidden against the backdrop of blooming greenery.

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Do what you love without haste and with special attention, and let your home flower garden delight you and passers-by.

Care

In order for a flower garden to delight you every day, it is necessary to care for it correctly and in a timely manner:

Watering. The main point in growing any plant. On the sunny side, flowers need more moisture than their shade-loving counterparts. If the balcony is on the north side, then certain types of flowers can do without watering. It is also worth considering the type of balcony: on an open balcony in cloudy weather, flowers are not watered, but on a glazed balcony, watering is simply necessary, regardless of what is happening on the street.
Fertilizer. Each species requires its own norm and type of feeding. But all flowers have one thing in common: you need to add fertilizer only in the afternoon, when sun activity decreases. But it is best to feed the flowers on cloudy days.
Protection. Insects are the main enemies of any flower garden, regardless of its location. It is very important to prevent infection from time to time using special means.
Microclimate. If everything is clear with an open balcony (the temperature on it is the same as on the street), then with a loggia the situation is completely different. The temperature in a glassed flower garden warms up significantly in the summer, so you can grow indoor plants and even flowers from southern countries there. They need special and careful care, because even the slightest disruption in temperature or humidity can destroy the plant.

Follow simple rules and enjoy your successes.

Often gardeners and vegetable gardeners create real masterpieces on their balconies and loggias. What is the secret of their success? The thing is that they choose the right plants, combining horizontal and vertical placement.

With the onset of cold weather, the balconies become boring and deserted. Summer plants have faded and only empty pots remind of greenery. But this is not a reason to abandon the balcony until spring; you can arrange a winter garden and admire its beauty in the harsh cold. It is unlikely that it will be possible to set up a winter garden on an open balcony if it is located in a cold climate zone. The maximum that can be done is to decorate it with spruce compositions. But on closed, glazed loggias there are much more opportunities. The snow doesn't cover them. Temperature may fluctuate. If the thermometer behind the glass drops to minus 10°, on the balcony it will be positive. When there is severe frost outside, up to 25 - 30°, on the insulated balcony the temperature will be down to minus 5°. There are plant species that do well in this temperature regime.

Winter plants for the balcony

Winter plants for the balcony should be selected depending on your location, climatic conditions and maintenance conditions.

Citrus fruits can winter at a temperature of + 7°.
Cacti are very adaptable plants. They can not only tolerate drought, but most species thrive at temperatures of +5, and some of them are not even afraid of frost.
Plants such as laurel, pelargonium (geranium), fuchsia, hydrangea, chrysanthemums, boxwood are adapted for temperatures of + 5-6°.
Camellias can decorate your balcony in winter; they tolerate temperatures down to minus 5°. Ideal conditions for it are a balcony, where the temperature is from 0 to 15°.
Coniferous plants: araucaria, thuja, cypress, cryptomeria. The temperature for keeping them in winter is +6-10°.

Each flower or shrub requires individual conditions, so let’s look at how to care for the most popular frost-resistant winter plants.

Heather and Erica

Heather is a low, unpretentious shrub that does not wither when cold weather sets in, and in frost it simply freezes, but does not change its decorative appearance. Common heather (Caluna vulgaris) and Erica (Erica carnea) are suitable for balconies. You can buy the plant in garden stores or at the market. From August to November, the heather is strewn with flowers, small flowers resemble bells, and terry flowers resembling roses are located on the inflorescence branches.

Shrubs are usually planted in pots; heather loves acidic soil; you can add peat to the soil or buy a ready-made soil mixture. With the onset of frost, the bush actually dies, but does not lose its magnificent appearance. Therefore, watering is carried out before the onset of severe cold.

Erica and heather are very similar at first glance. Erica is also a frost-resistant shrub, but flowering occurs from January to April. For autumn flowering, from September to November, it is recommended to plant Erika gracilis. The optimal temperature is from 7 to 15°. During the flowering period +8°. Water Erica 2 times a week. The plant needs good lighting.

Related article: How to grow hellebore on the balcony

Juniper

Junipers, one of the few coniferous plants, tolerate wintering well in containers - with the earthen clod completely freezing. Juniper is not picky about the composition of the soil, but it is still better to add peat and sand.
Very often the plant is formed into a dwarf tree or bonsai. To enhance the effect, they are sometimes planted on stones. The plant does not tolerate stagnant moisture, so intensive watering is not required. During the cold season, watering is rare.

Euonymus

Euonymus fortunei can grow up to 60 cm, and near a wall even up to 2 meters. In winter, the leaves turn purple-red. After frost, the plant acquires its normal color. Preferred temperatures for euonymus in summer are + 18-20°. In winter +6°.
It can tolerate lower temperatures, but for this it is necessary to strengthen the roots: place a wooden plank or foam plastic under the pot and wrap the pot with batting. In summer, the plant is watered abundantly, and in winter it is significantly reduced. Euonymus is one of the most popular plants for winter gardening on balconies.

Boxwood

Boxwood is an original green decorative element. Without human intervention, the plant can reach impressive sizes, but skillful hands turn it into bonsai and create magnificent green sculptures. The plant can overwinter on the balcony provided that the temperature does not drop below +10°.

Small coniferous plants

Dwarf coniferous plants are frequent guests on balconies. By planting plants such as araucaria, cypress, yew, thuja, you can enjoy the healing tart smell without going into the forest. Such plants can easily tolerate temperatures on the balcony down to minus five degrees.
In autumn, it will not be difficult to buy these plants in pots or tubs. Dwarf plants grow very slowly, add one centimeter per year and do not like pruning. Therefore, some winter plants for the balcony can be purchased in advance and maintained all year round.

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All this can be grown on the balcony.

Greetings, my dear readers!

Crispy cucumbers, elastic tomatoes, aromatic greens, sweet strawberries - doesn’t it sound appetizing and tempting? You can grow them at home all year round and eat environmentally friendly, fresh and inexpensive gifts of nature. All you need is desire, a little time, patience, a little money and the necessary information.

If the first 4 conditions depend only on you, then I will try to help with the last one. Today I will talk about what you can grow on your balcony.

Reasons and conditions to do this

Nowadays, self-growing of food in urban environments is more popular than ever in the world. For example, vertical gardens using hydroponics have become widespread. They take up very little space and produce a good, environmentally friendly harvest.

Moreover, in Western countries, when products are labeled “organic”, “bio” or “eco”, this means the following.

Products with this label are very expensive.

These fruits and vegetables are grown, harvested and processed according to strict environmental standards. That is, without the use of growth stimulants, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and other “chemicals”. They have been certified and have guaranteed quality.
The price of such products is an order of magnitude higher than ordinary agro-industrial ones.

Our niche of organic food has just begun to develop. Control and certification systems have not yet been formalized. And the difference in cost between “eco” products and conventional analogues sometimes exceeds several hundred percent.

Therefore, for poor Russians, the optimal solution is to grow “clean” fruits and vegetables with their own hands. In a city apartment, the best place for this is, of course, a balcony.

The benefits of growing your own food

You can provide yourself and your household with eco-friendly and fresh fruits, herbs and vegetables all year round.
Such products are not cheap, especially in winter. With balcony “beds” you don’t have to spend money on them and depend on the seasonality of ripening.
Growing living plants is certainly a creative process. It will give you positive energy and emotions.
Avid gardeners often feel sad in winter. They mope around the ground and their plantings. Growing vegetables and fruits on the balcony will be an excellent opportunity to extend the summer season.
Thanks to a home garden, you will acquire an interesting hobby and acquire useful knowledge and skills in agricultural technology.
The pedagogical component is also important. Your children will see with their own eyes that food grows on the ground, and not on store shelves, already packaged. They will understand that the gifts of nature are obtained through serious labor.

What is needed for a home garden?

Select plant seeds carefully, giving preference to varieties specifically designed for indoors.

First of all, choose what you will grow. If you have no gardening experience, start with a small number of plants.
In addition, select non-capricious, unpretentious and quickly ripening crops. Your first achievements will inspire you to undertake large-scale and complex landings.

Take a closer look at the varieties of selected plants. For your home garden/vegetable garden, choose early and early ripening varieties. It is desirable that they be specially bred for urban conditions and apartments. Based on your choice, purchase seeds or seedlings.

Familiarize yourself with the agrotechnical requirements for the success of growing selected plant species.
Select the location of the garden/vegetable garden. At home, these are usually indoor window sills or a loggia/balcony. The best option is when they are located on the sunny side of the house. If this is not the case, you will have to use phyto-lamps for additional illumination.

It is better to grow vegetables on a wide windowsill.

If necessary, the window sills can be made wider or shelves can be installed for plants.

Choose containers for future pets. Once you become familiar with the techniques of growing crops, you will understand what containers they need. Some of them need space, some do well in cramped conditions.
The container must be equipped with drainage holes. Expanded clay, gravel or brick chips should be poured into the bottom of containers, pots, flowerpots, boxes, etc. The containers should be placed in trays into which excess irrigation water will drain.
In addition, you will need fertilizing, fertilizers and a bucket to settle the moisture.

About soil

The photo shows ready-made soil mixtures.

Prepare the soil for the garden. There are many substrates for indoor plants. They use soil, compost, turf, peat, wood dust, etc.

You can prepare the soil yourself, but it is better to purchase it at the store. This mixture has a balanced composition, fertilizers have already been added to it, and pests and weeds have been destroyed.

When preparing the substrate yourself, remember that you can stop the penetration of harmful substances into products from air and water.

By adding organic matter to the soil, you will limit the access of cadmium, lead and mercury to plants.
Sulfur-containing fertilizers also reduce the mobility of mercury.
Liming the substrate prevents the accumulation of harmful chemicals in the fruits. To do this, you can also use an infusion of wood ash.

Fruits and berries

You can even grow bananas at home.

For fans of the exotic, home is a haven. Our amateur gardeners do not admit anything is impossible and grow on their balconies:

pineapples;
lemons;
tangerines;
kiwi;
dwarf apricot varieties;
bananas;
figs;
dates;
persimmons and other plants exotic for our climate.

When planning to have such fruit trees and shrubs at home, remember that they can grow to significant sizes. Then keeping them on the balcony/loggia will be problematic. Explore the possibility of growing dwarf varieties of such exotics.

Southern exotic

Stages of growing pineapple.

To grow a pineapple in your apartment, be patient and also:

Buy ripe fruit in the warm season of the year. Its tail should not be damaged.
Cut off the tail (without pulp) with a knife and dry in the light for 3-4 days. You can eat the pineapple itself.
Sprout the tail in washed river sand or in a container with water.
After about 30 days, roots will appear. Then transplant the sprout into a flowerpot, tub or large pot with soil.
Remember that these fruits love warmth (desirable temperature +24-30º), light and regular spraying.
The pineapple will appear after about 2 years.

Planting strawberries and strawberries

White currants growing on the balcony.

It is possible to grow berries in an apartment, these are:

currant;
raspberries;
physalis;
cowberry;
blueberry;
wild strawberry;
garden strawberries, i.e. strawberries.
nightshade;
blueberry.

Everyone loves sweet and juicy strawberries and strawberries. You can enjoy them from late spring until autumn. But first, wisely select and combine the varieties of these crops. The following are intended for growing on a balcony:

"Garland";
"Home delicacy";
“Autumn fun”, etc.

Strawberry seeds "Yellow miracle".

Before growing strawberries, keep in mind that they are traditionally a spring-summer crop. However, breeders have also developed varieties with completely different ripening periods. So, for a vegetable garden in an apartment, I recommend that you choose ampelous remontant strawberries and wild strawberries. For example:

"Yellow Miracle";
"Mount Everest";
"Queen Elizabeth".
"Victoria".

Such varieties bear fruit not seasonally, but all year round and are not so demanding of light.

You can grow garden strawberries from seeds, but it is easier to purchase already grown seedlings. All this is sold in stores for gardeners and gardeners.

You can plant strawberries in any ready-made soil substrate.
Sow the seeds in small containers (for example, plastic cups or liter eggplants with the neck cut off). Water the plantings well and cover with plastic wrap.
The optimal temperature regime for strawberry growth is +18-24°.

It is better to plant strawberries as seedlings.

When the sprouts hatch, remove the film and place the cups in a well-lit place. When the seedlings grow 3-4 leaves, transplant them into “adult” (large) containers.
Please note that since there are no pollinating insects in the apartment, you will have to artificially inseminate the female strawberry blossom with a brush.
This berry is warm and light-loving. When the days become shorter than the nights, use artificial lighting.
Spray and water the plants as the soil dries out.
As a top dressing, use mineral solutions with a high percentage of iron. Do this once every 10-14 days.
During the period of active growth, the berry grows with tendrils. Tie them to supports.
You can harvest the first harvest in 30-35 days.
After 90-120 days, the bushes will grow new rosettes. Thus, you can expand your plantation 2-3 times.

Homemade vegetables and mycelium

Use only organic and mineral fertilizers for plants.

Before I tell you about what you can grow vegetables on your balcony in the summer, I will give you some tips.

Select small-fruited varieties and hybrids that produce a bountiful harvest. In the cramped conditions of a balcony, it is difficult for agricultural crops to “bear” voluminous fruits. There will be few of them, and they will ripen for a long time.
Small fruits ripen gradually. You can pick the freshest vegetables for lunch and dinner every day.
Don't let the soil dry out, even when growing potatoes. In this case, your pets may lose color and ovaries.
Protect your plantings from hot sun rays. Burns on plants will reduce the yield and spoil their appearance.
Don’t get carried away with fertilizers too much. Do not exceed the standards stated in the instructions on the packaging of the formulations. To avoid burning the roots, first water the plant with water and only then with a fertilizing solution.
Don't force plants to fight among themselves. By planting two sprouts in one container, or by reducing the space between them in the “bed,” you will not increase the yield. On the contrary, it is quite possible that you will lose it completely.

Carrots in the apartment

Carrot variety "Chantenay 2461" has a small root crop.

To grow indoors, choose low-growing and small varieties of carrots that grow well in containers. For example:

"Thumbelina";
"Amsterdam"
"Chantenay 2461";
"Sophie";
"Parmex";
"Granddaughter".

Growing carrots in a pot.

You can plant carrots in pots, boxes, containers or plastic bottles with the neck cut off. The soil must be drained:

Plant the seeds in the soil to a depth of approximately 5-7 cm.
When they grow a few centimeters, thin them out. Leave only the strongest seedlings with a step of 2-3 cm between them.
Do not keep the “beds” in direct sunlight. The optimal temperature regime for carrots is +15-25˚.
You should water it on the loggia/balcony often. However, keep in mind that there should not be too much moisture, otherwise the fruits will rot.
Apply fertilizers containing a low percentage of nitrogen to the soil once every two weeks.
It will be useful for root crops to occasionally loosen the soil.
You can harvest the harvest after about 70 days.

"Blue" and zucchini

Decorative eggplants of the "Mantle" variety.

On window sills and balconies, it is best to grow decorative low-growing varieties and hybrids of eggplants with a height of 50-55 cm and small fruits. By planting them, you will decorate your home and harvest an edible harvest.

“Pot-Black”, which has purple fruits weighing up to 80 g.
F-1 "Frant", with oval reddish fruits.
“Pinstrip” with striped purple-white “berries” weighing up to 100 g.
F-1 "Ping Pong", F-1 "Bambi" and "Easter Egg", which have white, egg-shaped fruits.
“Emerald-Ail”, which has greenish “berries” with stripes of a darker tone. Their average weight is 50 g.
“Chinese lantern”, which has fruits that are similar in shape and color to a very small pumpkin.
"Purple ball" has small purple fruits up to 5 cm in diameter.
"Mantle", these eggplants have oval, lemon-colored berries with green stripes. When ripe they turn red.

Zebra zucchini is perfect for the balcony.

As for zucchini, early, early-ripening and small varieties and hybrids should also be grown in balcony conditions. For example:

"Tsukesha";
"Aeronaut";
"Zebra";
"Anchor";
"Belogor"
"Video clip".

This type of zucchini is well adapted to low temperatures and drought. The agricultural technology for growing zucchini and eggplant at home is the same as in open ground:

To plant seeds, use pots with a diameter of at least 10 cm. For seedlings, use containers; place the sprouts in them in increments of 70 cm.
Carry out artificial pollination manually, transferring pollen from male stamens to female stigmas.
Optimal growing conditions: maintain a temperature of +14-15˚ at night, +24-26˚ during the day. The best air humidity level for nightshade crops is 60-70%.

Sweet and bitter pepper

Paprika "Window Miracle".

The following varieties of paprika are well suited for the balcony:

"Martin";
"Treasure Island";
"Watercolor";
"Dwarf";
"Window Miracle";
“Sweet banana”, etc.

You can add hydrogel to the prepared soil substrate for pepper, enriched with microelements, to improve its looseness.

You can also grow hot red peppers on windowsills. To do this, prepare a warm and bright place, as well as seeds of varieties suitable for growing in an apartment. For example:

"Flint";
"Carmen";
"Rowanushka";
"Spark";
"Indian summer";
"Bride" etc.

Do not plant paprika, zucchini and eggplant next to hot peppers. Otherwise, they will acquire a bitter taste.

You don't need a lot of space for hot peppers.

Plant the seeds in small containers (for example, disposable cups) and, covered with film, place them in a warm and bright place. After 7-14 days (after sprouts appear), pierce the plastic in several areas.
When the sprouts become stronger after a couple of weeks, transplant them into large containers (buckets, tubs, pots, flowerpots, etc.). Do this carefully so as not to damage the root. Root the seedlings by ⅓, then give them warm (30 degrees) water.
Next, water the paprika daily.
This agricultural crop loves light. Based on this, if there is a lack of natural light, supplement it with white spectrum phyto-lamps.
Protect paprika from direct sunlight and drafts. The optimal temperature for the plant is +25-27˚.
Feed the sprouts with nitrogenous fertilizers, but not potassium chloride or potassium salts (they will burn the pepper roots).
You can harvest the first harvest after 100-120 days. Pepper is a biennial. Thanks to this, you will enjoy the fruits of one planting for two seasons.

Tomatoes on the windowsill

Due to its modest dimensions, dwarf or low-growing varieties of tomatoes are suitable for growing on the balcony. For example:

"Little Florida"
"Oak";
"Minibel";
"Pearl";
"Florida is petite";
"Angelica" etc.

Dwarf cherry tomatoes are most suitable for planting on the balcony.

And, of course, the famous dwarf varietal type “Cherry” is perfect for the balcony. For example:

varietal group “Cherry” with red, yellow, violet-brown and pink “berries”;
"Bonsai";
"Pygmy";
"Bead" etc.

It is better to purchase a ready-made substrate for tomatoes. It is advisable to choose a cylindrical container; the roots will fill it better.

Initially germinate the seeds in small containers. Plant them at a depth of 1.5-2 cm, cover with plastic wrap and place on a warm windowsill.
When the seedlings sprout, transplant them into a large container.
It is highly desirable that the tomatoes receive lighting evenly. For this purpose, hang phyto-bulbs above them or regularly turn the containers towards the windows. The optimal temperature for tomatoes is +25˚.
Water them carefully, do not over-moisten the soil.
When the bushes grow, occasionally loosen the soil and feed the plants with mineral fertilizers.
As needed, tie the trunks of mature tomatoes to wooden support slats.
You will be able to harvest after 3-3.5 months.

Apartment cucumbers

For your home, choose cucumbers of the “Balcony” varietal type.

In apartment conditions, it is best to grow self-pollinating varieties and hybrids of cucumbers. For example:

"Turquoise";
"Greenhouse Moscow";
"Stresa";
"Unfeminine";
"Altai early";
"Elegant" etc.

Breeders have also developed specialized analogues for growing on a balcony/loggia. For example, the “Balcony” variety marked F-1:

"Rytov's Room";
"Miracle at the Window";
"Balcony Miracle";
"Swallowtail";
"Urban Cucumber";
"Ant" etc.

The soil for cucumbers should be loose. Optimally, it should consist of equal parts of turf soil, peat, wood dust and manure compost. The soil should be filled with fertilizer. To do this, add a glass of wood ash, a teaspoon of urea and a tablespoon of nitrophoska to a bucket (10 liters) of soil.

If you don’t want to bother with preparing the soil, purchase a ready-made substrate.

Disinfect the seeds. To do this, dip them in a solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes. Next, rinse them in damp gauze and plant them in plastic cups with soil. Place the container in a warm, bright place and cover with film.
When the seedlings have grown sufficiently (3-6 true leaves), transplant them into large containers with a volume of at least 5 liters.
Water the plants daily with settled water at room temperature. Also spray the cucumber leaves with a spray bottle.
You can use potassium nitrate, nitrate and nitrogen fertilizers as top dressing.
When the vines grow, provide supports for them so that they can climb vertically.
The optimal temperature for this crop is +24-26˚. You will be able to harvest after 35-40 days.

Mushroom forest on the balcony

Grain mycelium.

Typically, amateur mushroom pickers grow honey mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and champignons at home.

On a glazed balcony, knock down a cabinet with shelves, place drawers 20-25 cm high there. Equip the “incubator” with a ventilation pipe with a plug. At the bottom of the cabinet, install an electric kettle with water to heat the cabinet and regulate air humidity.
Mix the substrate for the champignons: 15 kg of manure compost, 8 kg of alabaster and 10 kg of straw. Fill the soil with fertilizers. For the indicated volume you will need 0.2 kg of superphosphate and 0.2 kg of urea:

Stir the soil in warm water, this will begin fermentation of the substrate and increase its temperature to +60-65˚. To maintain moisture, wrap the boxes with film.
Fermentation will take approximately 20 days. After this, you can sow mycelium into the soil.

Mushrooms love moisture and warmth.

You can purchase mycelium (i.e. mycelium, seedlings) at an agro-store. Please note that it can be grain or compost. Mycelium beans are better suited for the balcony.

Take a handful of mycelium and spread it evenly over the surface of the container with soil. Pour the same soil 5 cm thick on top. For 1 m² of soil you will need 350 g of seedlings.

When mushrooms germinate, the air humidity in the room should be 80-85%. The temperature should remain +23-27˚.
After 10 days, when the mycelium has grown, cover the surface of the containers with special soil, about 4 cm thick. It should consist of 10 parts of peat and 1 part of chalk.
After another four days, reduce the temperature on the balcony to +15-18˚.
Moisten the substrate regularly, but do not flood it with water.
The fruiting time of champignons is about 55 days. Their harvest can be harvested all year round.

Greens and herbs

You can grow many different herbs and greens indoors: different varieties of lettuce (arugula, watercress, etc.), parsley, dill, various spices, green onions, etc. Spinach and sorrel also grow well on the balcony. These useful plants (real “storehouses” of vitamins) are early maturing and extremely easy to grow.

Fragrant basil

Basil on the window.

The following varieties of basil are suitable for growing indoors:

"Citric";
"Marquis";
"Baku" etc.

This aromatic seasoning is unpretentious and feels great on the windowsill at a temperature of +22-24˚. Plant it in a container with a volume of at least 1.5 liters.

First of all, water the soil with mineral fertilizer twice with an interval of 5 days.
Next, plant the seeds to a depth of approximately 1.5 cm.
Until sprouts appear, water the basil every two days. Then do this daily in the morning.
When growing herbs on the balcony, remember that they love sunlight. Based on this, increase the insolation of the sprouts to 14-16 hours a day using phyto-lamps.
Once every 14 days, loosen the soil to saturate it with oxygen.
The harvest can be harvested after 45-50 days.

Green garlic

Sprouting garlic arrows are an excellent seasoning.

Green arrows of garlic, like cilantro, are used to prepare salads, sauces and marinades, and added to soups and main courses. Only winter varieties of garlic are suitable for their germination, for example, “Yubileiny”, “Kharkovsky”, etc.

Any soil substrate is suitable for such greenery.
Select cloves of winter garlic, preferably with sprouts emerging. Plant them at a depth of 2 cm and at intervals of 2 cm between each other.
After this, pour over the garlic.
Place the container with the planting on the most illuminated window sill in the apartment. The room temperature should be +18-24˚.
Water the sprouts as the soil dries out and feed them with nitrogen fertilizers.
You can harvest the harvest after 2-3 weeks.

Mint for tea

Mint has branched roots. Because of this, it must be planted in a wide and deep container.
Use peat substrate, and use any plant variety.
Mint can be planted from cuttings or seeds. With the second method, plant the seeds in the substrate at a depth of approximately 0.5 cm, water and cover with film.
Until sprouts appear in 12-14 days, moisten the soil daily. When they get stronger, plant them.
In the summer season, protect mint from direct sunlight and keep at a temperature of +20-25˚. In winter, arrange additional lighting. Feed the plant periodically with organic fertilizers.
You can harvest the harvest after two months.

About flowers

You can grow many types of flowers on a south balcony.

You can plant a huge number of types of flowers on the balcony. Their specific choice depends on the location of the room.

If the balcony faces the south side of the house, drought-resistant flowers that can withstand direct sunlight should be planted there. Best options:

calendula;
pelargonium (geranium);
purslane;
petunia;
aster;
canna;
morning glory;
all types of cacti;
phlox;
kobeya;
godetia;
zinnia;
dahlia;
gatsaniya;
succulents;
Calibrachoa, etc.

In the west and east, the sun appears in the second and first half of the day. Such insolation is optimal for most indoor plants. The exception is the most ardent sun lovers - cacti, for example. What flowers are suitable here:

morning glory;
petunia;
dolichos;
sweet pea;
daisies;
verbena;
marigold;
nasturtium;
viola;
peonies,
lobelia;
lefty;
matthiola bicornuum;
asters;
dahlias, etc.

Shade-tolerant flowers on the northern balcony.

Northern balconies are shaded, so growing plants on them is the most difficult. Flowers planted there from seeds stretch out too much, bloom weakly, or completely “forget” about it. Based on this, you need to select shade-tolerant pets for the northern balcony. I recommend you choose:

tuberous or ever-flowering begonia;
sponge (mimulus);
fuchsia;
torment;
viola;
balsam;
nasturtium;
cyclomena;
mignonette;
ivy.

Conclusion

This is not all that can be planted on the balcony. However, you can’t list everything in one article.

The video in this article will continue to inform you on the topic. Feel free to ask your questions in the comments.

So I say goodbye, and good luck to you in your endeavors!

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, or ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!

With all the variety that is presented in the vegetable departments of supermarkets, more and more people are thinking about the environmental friendliness of such a choice. And the prices are not always encouraging - just a few sprigs of mint or rosemary can cost more than 100 rubles.

Your own self-grown vegetables, fruits, berries and herbs are much tastier and safer, because you know exactly how they were grown and are sure that they do not contain unnecessary chemicals and pesticides.

But, of course, not everyone has a summer cottage, and a city dweller, as a rule, does not have enough time and energy to grow a vegetable garden.

An alternative to a summer house can be a small vegetable garden on a balcony or windowsill. Of course, you won’t have to expect a huge harvest from such a small area and you won’t be able to make winter supplies from it, but during the season it’s quite possible to please yourself and your loved ones with fresh and healthy products straight from the garden.

What can you grow in a garden on your balcony?

Basically, almost everything. Most crops have varieties suitable for growing at home. When choosing, you need to pay attention to 2 points - self-pollination and size. If you have an enclosed balcony or a very high floor, the likelihood of bees flying by is not very high. Therefore, you will either have to do it yourself, transferring pollen from one flower to another with a brush, or choose self-pollinating varieties. As for the size, it all depends on the capacity of the window sill or balcony - you can choose dwarf varieties, for example, cherry tomatoes instead of regular ones, small types of cucumbers.

First, think about which side you plan to plant your garden on. Lettuce, rhubarb, garlic, and even mushrooms will grow well on the shady side of the house. Heat-loving crops - eggplants, peppers, strawberries - will ripen well on the sunny side.

Greens and herbs

It is very convenient to grow herbs and herbs on the balcony. They tend to grow very quickly and you will have several harvests in one season. It is very convenient to always have greens on hand and add them as needed when cooking. You can plant dill, parsley, basil, onions, garlic, rosemary, mint, thyme, etc. Packages of seeds are very cheap and are sold at any garden supply store.

Vegetables

Cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers ripen very well on glass balconies. As a rule, it is better than in open ground in the middle zone. If you choose the right variety suitable for the balcony, you can reap a relatively large harvest. For example, tomatoes of the “balcony miracle” variety. The bushes grow only about 30 cm high, but from one bush you can harvest up to 45 miniature tomatoes.

To grow cucumbers on the balcony, you will need stretched ropes or sticks, since the plant's vines need to cling to something. But if you have a trellis, in the summer it can turn into a green hedge.

Radishes, carrots and beets grow well. They don't take up much space, which is important when space is limited.

Berries

You can grow strawberries and wild strawberries on your balcony. Hybrids of garden and forest berries are best suited. Low bushes that produce a bountiful harvest. And if you plant several varieties at once - early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening, then your berries will be on your table all summer.

Growing edible plants at home can be a good alternative to indoor plants. Or at least a nice addition. Almost the same amount of hassle, but what a result! In addition, some of them, for example, green onions, can be sprouted at home all year round. And some, like mint or rosemary, are not only healthy, but also aromatic.

Among other things, growing your own food is an interesting activity for young gardeners. At least, I remember myself, and how with great enthusiasm in the 1st grade I sprouted onions at home for school lessons on the world around me.

Gone are the days when a balcony or loggia was used as a place to store unnecessary things. This part of the apartment, directly connected with the premises and the external environment, can be turned into a cozy corner for a pleasant rest, decorated with bright greenery, beautiful flowers and spectacular flowerpots.

There are many options for placing plants on a glass loggia and ideas for decorating an open balcony. If you follow the advice of experts and basic rules for caring for plants, you can do everything yourself and at no extra cost.

Planning work and preparing necessary materials

In order to independently create a greenhouse and even a winter garden on a balcony or loggia, it is not necessary to rebuild the existing space and study balcony floriculture. You just need to clear the space of everything unnecessary and correctly plan the areas that will be decorated and planted with landscaping. In addition, it is important to decide what style the design will be, which plants are available, and which need to be purchased.

Vases, boxes, stands and flower holders play an important role. Plants on the balcony can be grown not only in the warm season, but also in winter. Special frost-resistant plants for the balcony: camellia, azalea, cyclamens, juniper, thuja, frost-resistant roses will remind you of summer even on cold winter days.

Flowers on the balcony photo

The development of modern technologies allows you to experiment without risk when landscaping your balcony. Before starting work, experts advise taking photos of the room inside and outside. This helps to evaluate the space and even design the decoration of the balcony with flowers using computer programs.

A balcony is a room with a limited usable area, but even its small space can be used profitably with the right selection of materials. Here you should not use plants in boxes of different shapes and volumes. It makes more sense to install internal or external shelves on which flowers in pots or small tubs are displayed. Plants should be selected according to the principle of complementation: their shades and structure should not conflict with each other - all aesthetics are lost.

Flowers on the balcony in boxes

An excellent option for a small balcony is the vertical gardening method. A variety of design solutions allows you to create blooming balconies that will delight owners all year round. You can use hanging plants for the balcony, ivy or flower pots with vines. Petunias or ampelous geraniums are suitable for this purpose.

If you install special supports or decorative trellises, you can let climbing plants climb along them, which will twine around the rods and create a green fence or flower screen. Annuals will cope with this task: kobei, climbing nasturtiums.

Flower screen made from balcony lattice

Landscaping balconies and loggias are similar processes that have their own nuances. The useful area on the loggia is much larger, which allows you to implement more interesting ideas. To decorate the space, you can use containers that harmonize with each other and are easy to rearrange. This allows you to change the viewing panorama, create shaded areas or protection from the wind.

Flower box for the balcony

It is important to remember that not all indoor plants can be used to decorate a balcony or loggia. A greenhouse on the balcony is a suitable place only for unpretentious plants. These can be: fuchsia, pelargonium, aloe, violets, lilies, balsams, etc.

Selection of plants according to the location of the balcony:

If the balcony is glazed and located on the east or west side, you can use most indoor plants for decoration, which tolerate changes in habitat and minor temperature changes.
The north side is not suitable for sun-loving plants. Cacti or succulents are usually grown on a south-facing balcony, but it is still recommended to create artificial shading.

Flowers on the loggia photo

Conditions for creating a winter garden on a balcony or loggia

On the balcony you can not only plant and grow certain types of plants, but also create a real winter garden. True, in this case there are much more requirements for the premises:

The area must be heated. This can be water heating around the perimeter of the walls or electric floor heating;
Lighting: It is recommended to use fluorescent lamps, which provide light output with minimal heat generation. Conventional incandescent lamps cannot provide the optimal spectral composition and often lead to burns of sensitive plants:
Ventilation will prevent condensation from forming. This can be achieved using a system of vents and openings or a modern split system.

Winter garden on the loggia photo

Among the plants used are:

tropical: orchids, begonias, palms;
subtropical: myrtle, laurel, lavender, lemons, rosemary;
desert plants: cacti, aloe, agave.

Representatives of each group have specific requirements for conditions and care, so combining them is quite difficult. They grow and develop differently. Some need frequent transplants, others need rare ones. Large plants can create shade for small ones. All this must be taken into account before starting work on landscaping the premises.

What flowers can be planted on the balcony so that you can admire its view in spring, summer and autumn? A similar question is asked by everyone who wants to turn a plot of their home into a small but very beautiful garden. The article will discuss which plants are suitable for growing on the north side of the building, and which on the south. Photos with corresponding titles are attached.

To get the desired result, you must take into account:

On which side of the building is the balcony located - on the south, that is, sunny, or on the north, that is, shaded.
What area does the balcony occupy - small or large?
Is the balcony glazed or not?

Attention! In the case of an open balcony, it is necessary to take into account the strength of the wind. Not all plants can withstand strong gusts.

If we talk about the general principles of landscaping, there are two of them:

horizontal;
vertical.

Flowers on the balcony

The first involves decorating the balcony with long horizontal lines consisting of containers with flowers. The structure is located both on the outside and on the inside of the balcony. Containers can be installed directly on the floor, or they can be attached to the walls one above the other. For vertical gardening, flowerpots are placed on the floor of the balcony. Supports are attached to them, along which the plant stems will rise.

Advice. It is better to use annual vines as vertical gardeners. They grow quickly and can be easily directed.

Before planting plants, appropriate preparation of containers is required:

Containers for flowers are securely attached to the balcony railing or placed on the floor.
To prevent water from draining from the balcony during watering, trays are installed under each container.
The bottom of the containers is covered with drainage material.
Pour nutrient soil into the containers.

Only after completing the above work can you begin to select and plant flowers.

What plants are suitable for landscaping a balcony if the side is sunny

For balconies that are heavily illuminated by the sun, that is, those located on the south side of the building, flowers that can tolerate heat and direct rays of the sun are suitable.

Examples of some of them:

Purslane - the plant blooms well only in strong sunlight. Its fleshy leaves accumulate moisture in reserve, so the flower does not need frequent watering.

Purslane

Calendula is also a sun lover. There are many varieties and hybrids of various shades of red and yellow with simple and double flower forms. You can always choose the appropriate version of this plant.
Geranium is a common indoor favorite that thrives on sunny balconies. Almost all its varieties can be planted here.

Geranium

Petunia - a huge variety of species allows you to create beautiful compositions. For good growth and flowering, it is advisable to water twice a day.
Verbena is a flower that is not afraid of frost, so it can be planted outdoors in early May. For balcony gardening, it is recommended to use Canadian and hybrid verbena. The shoots of these varieties reach 30 cm and hang from the pot in a beautiful cascade.
Honey alyssum - the aroma of small, very delicate flowers resembles the smell of honey. Growing strongly in a pot, the plant is capable of forming bushes in the shape of a ball. When flowering fades, the stems are cut off by half. After a while, the regrown shoots are again densely covered with flowers.

Honey alyssum

Lobelia - although this delicate flower loves light, it is better to place it in the depths of the balcony. Hanging lobelia varieties are most suitable. It blooms very profusely all summer.

Advice. On balconies on the sunny side, it is better to select containers with light walls. This will prevent overheating of the soil.

What plants will do well on balconies on the north side?

On the north side of the buildings there is a lack of lighting, which some plants cannot tolerate. Here, for landscaping balconies, flowers should be selected with special care. The following plants tolerate shade normally:

Fuchsia - you should not hope for its abundant flowering on northern balconies. However, the plant intensively grows green mass and forms a lush bush. The main thing is to organize regular watering, preventing the soil from drying out.

Fuchsia

Mimulus - thanks to its elongated petals, it is popularly called “lipstick”. The plant thrives in the shade and has a fast growing season - about two months pass from sowing to flowering.
Calceolaria is a very interesting shade-tolerant plant with yellow flowers speckled with brown. The leaves do not tolerate water, so it is better to grow the plant on glazed balconies and water it very carefully.
Waller's balsam is a plant with thick, fleshy stems and flowers of various colors. It dies at the slightest frost, so it is planted on open balconies as late as possible.

Waller's balsam

Marigolds - these flowers amaze with their diversity. There are high, medium and low varieties. It is better to place the former on the floor of the balcony, and the latter on the sides of its railings. Plants bloom from summer to late autumn.
Periwinkle is an evergreen perennial. Its creeping stems are covered with delicate blue flowers in May. Dark green glossy leaves can decorate the balcony all year round.
Sweet tobacco - the plant is a close relative of petunia, but tolerates shading absolutely normally.

Fragrant tobacco

The same flowers can be used for landscaping balconies that are located on the west side of the house.

How to decorate a balcony with flowers

By following simple rules, you can achieve a harmonious combination of different plants.

Advice. To make flowers look lush and beautiful during hot periods, you need to add a little hydrogel to containers with soil.

With a competent approach to landscaping your balcony, you can enjoy the surroundings of your own blooming pets from early spring until late autumn.

Growing flowers on the balcony: video

Lovers house Afresh crispy cucumbers, juicy tomatoes and aromatic herbs are constantly looking for new ways togrow them without extra effort and expense. And true admirers of fresh vegetables went even further and, having neither a garden nor a summer house, learned to grow them right at home - on the balcony. Now you don’t need to look for grandmothers with homemade harvests at the market. Just by going out onto the balcony, you can collect your own, grown without chemicals. And what aroma awaits such a “gardener” during the flowering period of plants!

What can you grow on your balcony?

The choice of plants that will happily grow on an ordinary balcony of an apartment building is very large. Having thought it through well and selecting the right ones, the balcony can be turned not into chaos of the plant world, but into a beautiful and useful greenhouse. What to choose so as not to waste time and space? What can you grow at home?

There are a lot of ideas:

1. Flowers. What could be more beautiful than flowers? Only a large number of different colors. You can sow them directly into boxes or large pots. It is worth paying attention to the growth and flowering period of the selected plants. In this way, you can ensure that some flowers will bloom, while others will just begin to bloom.

2. Vegetables. Almost any vegetable can be grown on the balcony. This includes peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants and even potatoes. You just need to water them on time, feed them and harvest them. The family, of course, will not be able to feed itself only on vegetables from the balcony, but in winter it is pleasant to eat aromatic fresh product in any case.

3. Spices and herbs. This type of plant was one of the first to be placed on the balcony by enterprising housewives, because in winter the prices for them are high, and you really want to please your family with something tasty. Greens are used in almost all dishes, so it makes sense to grow them on the balcony.

4. Berries. Both strawberries and wild strawberries are grown on the balconies. Many berry lovers create entire fragrant plantations. An excellent solution for those who have kids who need only natural products.

Why and why?

Why do this? What is the difference between what is grown on the balcony and what is purchased? After all, doing this in such a small area, it is impossible to feed a family. Here are some reasons why many people think about what they can grow at home:

1. You can pamper your loved ones with something tasty, aromatic and fresh all year round. Vegetables and berries bought in a store in winter cannot boast of this.

2. In order to save money. After all, fresh vegetables, herbs and berries are quite expensive in winter. And it’s not always possible to constantly run around looking for a bunch of fresh greens.

3. This activity is constructive. A person receives positive emotions and a charge of energy from it.

4. There is a category of avid gardeners who cannot sit still in winter. Thus, the summer season will not stop even when there is snow and a blizzard outside the window.

5. This activity is perfect for those who have children. They will be able to see how plants actually grow and bear fruit.

6. Just as an interesting hobby for those who have nothing to occupy their free time.

Where to begin?

Those who have not previously grown vegetables and herbs on the balcony do not know where to start and what to buy. Most beginners have no idea what they can grow at home.

If you have no experience at all, then it is better not to buy dozens of types of seeds and seedlings. You need to think carefully and choose several types. You can take one representative each from vegetables, berries, herbs and fruits. It is better to choose unpretentious varieties with minimal requirements. Ideally, these are early ripening varieties bred specifically for such conditions.

It is worth studying the plant's requirements for the amount of sun. If there is little light on the balcony, you will have to illuminate it with lamps.

The next step is choosing containers for future plants. Once you familiarize yourself with the technical requirements, you can easily choose the right one. Don’t forget about the trays, into which excess water will drain after watering.

Another main element is a variety of fertilizing. They are different for each plant.

Finally, you need to prepare the soil for planting the seeds.

Homemade mint

Mint is a well-known and loved plant by many. It is often grown for food. It is used in cooking, brewed instead of tea, and also for decoration. Fragrant greens can also be grown in the cold season. How to grow mint at home to please yourself and your loved ones with a pleasant fresh aroma?

It is grown in pots, boxes and trays. It all depends on how much mint you need to grow. Two planting methods are used:

Planting cuttings.
Sowing seeds.

The first method is faster. If there is nowhere to take cuttings, then sowing seeds is perfect. Loose humus soils with an acidity of 5-7 are best suited for the plant.pHand peat soils.

For mint, a comfortable ambient temperature is 20-25 degrees.

How to grow mint at home and what you should pay attention to? She does not like excess moisture, especially in winter, you should not water it often. It is better to spray water on the leaves. Drafts should also be excluded.

But even if the soil dries out, the plant may die. It is also important to ensure that pests do not appear. If drugs were used to combat them, it is worth carefully considering the timing of collection.

Also, the plant does not like direct sunlight. A well-lit but shaded place is more comfortable for him.

Pepper

Bell pepper is a juicy, tasty vegetable loved by many, it is quite unpretentious and feels great on the balcony. This fruit will decorate any table, but it costs a littlewait, as the first fruits can only be tasted after 5-6 monthsafter sowing the seeds.

How to grow peppers at home and what is needed for this? For balconies, early ripening and self-pollinating varieties are chosen. Here are the most common ones:

Many gardeners appreciated the pepper variety Patio Ivo. It is planted both in open ground and on the balcony. Its bright yellow fruits will bring joy and a sunny mood to your home.
California miracle- an excellent variety of thick-walled pepper. The plant reaches up to 75 cm in height. Fruits with a ribbed surface, bright red color.
Jupiter F1 - a variety of pepper that has large fruits that change color as a result of ripening from dark green to red.
Oh yeah- pepper is purple, low-growing, the fruits are juicy and sweet.

It is also worth remembering the mid-early varieties that are pleasing with the harvest: Lastochka, Winnie the Pooh, Podarok Moldova, Novoshary, Bulgarian-79.

How to grow peppers at home and what you should pay attention to? There are some conditions without which the harvest cannot be harvested:

Pepper loves the sun, so it needs to be placed in the sunniest place. If there is not enough natural light, it needs to be illuminated with a lamp.
Avoid all drafts, otherwise the pepper may die.
Comfort temperature is 20-26 degrees, at night - 18-20 degrees.
The soil needs to be constantly loosened.
Peppers are very sensitive and susceptible to pest damage.
Do not forget that the fruits are quite heavy for such a miniature plant, so it must be tied to a trellis.

There are also hot pepper lovers who will not refuse to enjoy freshly picked pepper. Having seeds, soil and a suitable container, you can get the first fruits in just three months. Bright pepper will delight not only the taste buds, but also the eye. Which varieties should you choose? Here are the main ones that “balcony gardeners” have already appreciated:

Queen of Spades.
Curious.
Astrakhansky 147.
Carmen.
Elephant trunk.
Sweeties.
Ukrainian bitter.
Ogonyok.
SuperchiliF1.
Indian summer.

Under what conditions does hot pepper feel more comfortable? To create one, you need to fulfill a few simple conditions:

Prepare quality soil.
Place the plant on the sunniest side of the house.
Replenish moisture needs in a timely manner.
There is no need to stepchild, then the plant will be lush and beautiful.
During the period of fruit ripening, do not forget about fertilizer.

Mushrooms at home

Now, in order to pick mushrooms, you don’t need to go to the forest. They can be grown directly on the balcony. How to grow mushrooms at home without specially equipped premises?

Everything is very simple! If there is a glazed balcony, all that remains is to put together a cabinet with shelving and acquire drawers about 20 cm deep. You need to build a ventilation pipe on top of the cabinet, and place an electric kettle at the bottom. It will work as both a heater and a humidifier.

Mycelium (a kind of mushroom seeds) can be purchased at any specialized online store. Different mushrooms may require different substrates. Some grow well on straw, others do better with sawdust. Some add bird droppings, others add wheat. All the necessary information is on the instructions for planting mycelium.

So how can you grow mushrooms at home without having to go shopping in search of fresh produce? Into the prepared substrate V sow the mycelium evenly over the entire area. It is sprinkled with a layer of the same substrate on top.

The most favorable conditions for mushroom growth are:

Temperature 22-27 degrees.
Air humidity 80-90%.

In order to create ideal conditions for mushrooms, you just need to periodically turn on the kettle and monitor the temperature and humidity.

After 10 days, the overgrown mycelium is covered with a special substrate. It is prepared from peat and chalk (10:1). After four days, the temperature can not be raised more than 17 degrees, but constantly sprayed with a sprayer, avoiding flooding the substrate. Be sure to periodically ventilate the balcony.

The harvest is harvested every other day for two months.

Balcony cucumbers

To grow cucumbers on the balcony, you need to select varieties that were created specifically for these purposes. The most famous:

Cucaracha.
Sail.
Barnaulets.
Gribovsky.
Stresa.
Matrix.
Courage.
Biryusa.
Dubrovsky.

How to grow cucumbers at home? To do this, you should plant the seeds in disposable cups. Next, the sprouts are transplanted into pots or boxes to a permanent place of growth. The seeds need to be germinated a little before planting. A universal primer is suitable for these purposes.

So, how to grow cucumbers at home, because they are weaving and they need to create conditions for this? To do this, ropes are pulled in a vertical position. The cucumbers grow and gradually begin to braid them.

How to grow cucumbers at home in hot weather? They must be shaded and watered promptly. Do not overwater the plants or water them during the peak of the heat. It is better to do this early in the morning or in the evening.

Bow on the balcony

The easiest and most familiar way to get greens in winter from childhood is to sprout onions. Some did such experiments as part of the school curriculum, while others watched their mother do it. How to grow onions at home and enjoy the genuine taste and aroma of the plant? There are two ways:

Landing in the ground.
Hydroponics.

In the first method, pour a little suitable soil and insert the bottom of the bulb into it. In the second case, pour a little water into small containers and insert the bulbs so that only the roots come into contact with the water. How to grow onions at home is better not to read, but to try and plant.

A vegetable garden on the balcony is not only useful and interesting, but also incredibly beautiful. Any gardener rejoices at every new leaf, flower and fruit as his achievement. All guests are required to visit the balcony and admire the harvest.

Juicy salad

You can also grow lettuce on the balcony. He is quite unpretentious, but very useful. How to grow lettuce at home on the windowsill? It couldn't be easier! To do this, you will need a container 20 cm deep; it is better to take wide boxes so that the moisture is retained in the soil longer. It is imperative to pay attention to drainage so that the roots do not rot. Light, moisture-retentive soil is ideal for the plant. Furrows are made in it and lettuce is sown. Then the seeds need to be watered with warm water, and the soil needs to be irrigated every day. When the shoots appear, the box needs to be installed in a bright place to remain there permanently.

How to grow lettuce at home on a windowsill and care for it? This plant is unpretentious; it just needs to be watered at least every other day and not placed in direct sunlight.

The first harvest can be harvested in just 3 weeks. To please your loved ones with a juicy salad all the time, each subsequent sowing should be done 10 days after the previous one.

Such a vegetable garden on the balcony will help you eat healthy, vitamin-rich food all year round.

Tomatoes on the balcony

Most often, tomatoes are grown at home either in winter or due to lack of land. Seeds sown in September can bring the first harvest to the New Year's table. So, how to grow tomatoes at home on a windowsill?

Caring for tomatoes is not too different from caring for any indoor plants, you just need to take into account some features. There are many early-ripening self-pollinating varieties that can produce a fairly good harvest of tomatoes. These include: Florida Petite, Oak, Pinocchio, Button, Balcony Miracle, Micron, Bull's Heart, De Barao, Carlson.

How to grow seedlings at home? A universal soil for vegetables is suitable for this. You can sow seeds in disposable cups; before doing this, they need to be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes. When the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, they can be transplanted into pots.

Warm water is used for irrigation. Water the plants in the evening, without getting on the leaves. Tomatoes love the sun very much; they can be rotated every 2-3 days so that all the leaves receive enough light. Tomatoes are fed with vegetable fertilizer once every two weeks. Almost all varieties need staking.

Growing vegetables at home is actually not that difficult. All you need is desire and a small amount of time. From the balcony garden they are chemical-free and always fresh. This option is perfect for young parents who are worried about what their child eats.

If you suddenly have a question about what plant to grow at home, maybe you should try growing herbs or vegetables instead of the usual violets and cacti? It is beautiful, useful and entertaining.

Fresh parsley

Parsley is not only tasty, but also healthy greens. It is used in the preparation of broths, meat, fish and cereals. Of course, you can live without it, but is it worth giving up such a familiar taste? In order not to run to the store or market every time for a fresh portion or not to use a product that is not the freshest, you can plant it on the balcony. How to grow parsley at home and what is needed for this?

In order to grow greens, you need to have a container and soil, and you also need to decide on the planting method. The first method is to plant root crops. It produces a harvest literally 2 weeks after planting. The second method is to sow seeds in the ground.

Almost any container with a depth of at least 20 cm is suitable for growing parsley. Parsley loves fertile soil made of peat, humus, turf and sand. You can easily buy it in a specialized store.

You need to water the plant often, but without much fanaticism. Parsley loves the sun, but direct sunlight can cause the leaves to turn yellow. With the help of phytolamps, she needs to have a 12-hour day of light. The main enemy of the plant is aphids, so before planting the soil must be thoroughly disinfected so that one fine day insects will not be found on the leaves.

What can be grown at home and how, we hope, is already clear.It is important to take a little time and carefully consider what is best to plant on the existing balcony and how much lighting there is. If it is also insulated and there are phytolamps, then you can pamper yourself with vegetables, herbs and berries all year round.

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